


Tickle the Borg

by vavavavoom_beautifulbeautifulbombshell



Series: Exploring humanity [1]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Borg are not ticklish, F/F, Fluff, Kathryn is an idiot, Seven is sweet, Two fluffballs in love, or are they
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:01:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29380344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vavavavoom_beautifulbeautifulbombshell/pseuds/vavavavoom_beautifulbeautifulbombshell
Summary: When Seven one evening declares that she is not ticklish, Naomi decides to report her new knowledge to the captain the next morning. Said woman is thoroughly intrigued and determined to investigate...
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine
Series: Exploring humanity [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2158251
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Tickle the Borg

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I was in a mood to post a fluffy one-shot for a change, so here we go. This is inspired by a dream I've had, believe it or not. I hope you're gonna enjoy it. If you do, please be so kind to let me know. Also, this is merely the first part of a series. So stay tuned for the follow-ups. :)

It had been the day where Seven of Nine and Naomi Wildman typically played their matches of kadis- kot. Seven was proud of her young friend who had defeated her during their last match.

'She is getting better at this the more often we play. Naomi Wildman truly is a remarkable individual, especially for her still very young age.'

The older of the friends had agreed to bring Naomi back home to her quarters as per usual, always enjoying watching her young friend getting 'tucked into bed' by her mother.

She also always enjoyed the conversations Sam Wildman and she were occasionally holding regarding their respective fields of work, Astrometry, and Xenobiology, as well as caring for infants, a subject which Seven in all honesty found most intriguing.

The young ex-drone was aware, however, that due to her past she herself would never be able to procreate, to conceive a child of her own.

She was all the more thankful to have found Naomi Wildman as her friend who she was allowed to watch grow and aid in her turning into what Seven was convinced a formidable adult someday.

Sam greeted them in her typical friendly way, allowing both girls inside. While mother and daughter went over to the bathroom to get Naomi ready for bed, Seven stood in the doorway, watching them from a distance, secretly listening in on their exchanges.

Sam, who noticed the younger woman watching them smiled at her, a fact that Seven was merely able to see through the older woman's reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Seven silently tagged along as mother and daughter proceeded to go to the young girl's bedroom where Sam helped her daughter change into her pj's.

Naomi squealed in glee when her mother suddenly declared in a low, almost threatening voice. “Beware of the tickle monster!”

Naomi squirmed around, laughing and squealing happily as her mother performed curious actions on the young girl, her hands dancing over her body, the young half-Ktarian giving off pleased noises whenever her mother reached certain areas of it.

'Curious. I wonder what that phenomenon might be. So far I had not seen them perform those actions during their nightly ritual. It does not appear to be part of their usual routine.'

The laughing and cries had stopped, snapping the tall blonde out of her musings. Naomi was by now safely tucked into bed, beaming at her older friend.

Seven was stunned when she asked her. “Seven, are you ticklish?”

The ex-Borg blinked, running the word through her cortical node, shaking her head, declaring in her usual stoic fashion. “Borg are not 'ticklish', Naomi Wildman.”

Naomi pouted at this. “That's sad, Seven. It's fun getting tickled. Mom and I often have tickle fights. Right, mom?”

Sam Wildman smiled gently at this. “Yes, we do, honey. It's sad that Seven can't experience this too. You aren't fully Borg anymore though, Seven. Are you absolutely sure that you're not ticklish?”

Seven frowned at the question, in all honesty, she wasn't sure at all, never before having even considered the possibility of being ticklish due to merely learning of said phenomenon today.

Once Seven had left, Naomi told her mother. “I'm going to report to the captain first thing in the morning tomorrow.”

Sam Wildman blinked. “Once you've eaten breakfast I hope, honey. What do you want to report to her?”

Naomi smiled like a cheshire cat. “I'm going to inform her that Seven has stated that she's not ticklish. I think the captain deserves to know such crucial information about one of her fellow senior staff. Don't you agree, mom?”

Sam Wildman wasn't so sure if she agreed to this, but knowing her daughter she figured there was no point trying to stop her.

Once Naomi's mind was set on something, the young girl would do anything in her might to achieve her goal, pulling off a fight if necessary and since Sam didn't want to unnecessarily provoke a fight with her daughter who could become quite violent when enraged as past encounters had proven, she simply nodded patiently.

“Of course, honey. Let's get some sleep for now. It's already late and you need to be fresh and energized if you want to meet with the captain in the morning.”

Naomi closed her eyes obediently, muttering. “Good night, mom. See you in the morning. I love you.”

Sam smiled and pecked her daughter's forehead. “Good night and sweet dreams, Naomi. See you in the morning for breakfast. I love you more.”

Seven had found herself unable to stop thinking about what Sam Wildman had stated. It was correct that she wasn't fully Borg anymore. Could it be possible that she was 'ticklish' herself?

'Irrelevant. I should not bother about these kinds of matters. Neither am I an infant nor should I wish to experience this phenomenon. Those sounds Naomi Wildman produced when her mother 'tickled' her earlier were most... immature.

I do not wish to produce the same kind of sounds. It would be most unpleasant, humiliating.'

Seven couldn't help wonder if Annika Hansen had ever been having 'tickle fights' with her parents pre-assimilation. She soon dismissed the thought, the pain in her cardiovascular system it provoked far too much to bear.

'I do not wish to burden the captain by being damaged. Pondering my past could prove to be futile if this tightening in my chest and my restricted respiration are any indications.'

If there was one thing Seven could not bear it was upsetting Captain Janeway. Seeing the pain in those blue-gray eyes made the pain of assimilation pale in comparison.

She could not fail the older woman by malfunctioning, or even getting distracted during her duty shift in Astrometrics.

As Seven stepped onto the dais of her regeneration alcove, an image of Janeway appeared before her mind's eye, resulting in a comforting warmth to fill every fiber of the young woman, a fact that stunned her, but she had no time to further observe anymore, the tubules in her back and the back of her neck connecting to her alcove, posture going rigid, eyes fluttering shut, the young woman drifting off into the Borg equivalent of sleep...

“Regeneration cycle complete.” Seven's eyes fluttered open, carefully taking in the familiar surroundings of Cargo Bay 2. The young woman was irritated.

'Curious. I could swear that I was 'dreaming' during my cycle. No, that is illogical. Borg do not 'dream'.'

She shook her head before stepping down from the dais, walking over to the small space behind the Borg alcoves where her vanity was standing, undressing from her biosuit with practiced efficiency, walking over to her 'closet' next, pondering her outfit of the day.

The choice was not really all too great. The day prior she had been wearing her typical brown biosuit, so that option would fall flat for today.

There were three more options to choose from. A plum one, a blue one which was the sole version out of her biosuits which came in more than one color, a mixture of light and darker blues, and last but certainly not least her favorite red biosuit, she hardly ever wore as it was reserved for special occasions if you will.

Seven blinked once she realized she had been standing there, contemplating her choice of apparel for a whopping 3.5 minutes. The young woman grew frustrated with her own most illogical, far too human behavior.

'You could have spent those 3.5 minutes far more efficiently. It appears that you are beginning to pick up on 'bad habits' already.' In the end, Seven hastily grabbed the first biosuit that she could by blindly reaching inside her 'closet' which just so happened to be the plum-colored one.

She was somewhat relieved that it didn't turn out to be the red or the blue one since those two were rather special in their appearance and would certainly draw unwanted attention from her subordinates in Astrometrics and if Seven hated one thing it was to be 'the center of attention'.

Captain Kathryn Janeway had woken up after another nightmare. Said nightmare had featured the latest addition to her crew who was very dear to her, Seven of Nine.

Ever since the young woman's dark past and the circumstances under which her young Astrometrics officer had been assimilated had been revealed, those nightmares had started to haunt Janeway's sleep and during the day she did everything in her might to make sure the young blonde was doing fine, all the while assuring not to be too obvious, or intrusive.

The captain knew better than to unnecessarily alert the younger woman by doting over her like a mother hen. Also, it was becoming increasingly harder to stay professional in Seven's presence these days with the two women having formed what Janeway was hopeful to be a friendship.

The redhead had just entered her ready room and was about to replicate her first cup of coffee of the day when her door chimed. Janeway frowned, wondering who could demand her attention at such an early hour, but called out regardless. “Come in!”

The doors swished open and the captain had a hard time keeping her command mask in check as the youngest member of her crew and self-declared assistant stepped inside, chest thrust out proudly, arms as Janeway noticed to her silent delight folded behind her back, much like a certain blonde.

The captain's voice was only a tad softer than her usual command voice, not wishing to upset the young girl by making her feel like she didn't respect her enough to treat her in the same manner she did with the adult members of her crew. “Miss Wildman. Please take a seat.”

The young girl obediently sat on the chair opposite of the captain. Once she was seated, Janeway asked curiously. “What is the reason for your visit?”

The young girl answered, tone all business. “I have come here in my function as captain's assistant. There is a matter of utmost importance that I wish to report to you.”

The older had a hard time keeping a straight face, finding the young girl's antics to be downright adorable. It was one of those moments in which Kathryn Janeway wished she had been able to found a family of her own, become a mother, have children like young Naomi.

The young girl was a true delight, her visits always lifting the redhead's mood, brightening her days.

Her tone gave away none of the softness she felt in her heart as she gazed into the emerald orbs of young Naomi. “You have my full attention, miss Wildman. Please go ahead and report your findings.”

The young girl nodded softly before speaking up, tone serious, thoroughly betraying the content of her next words. “It has come to my attention that Seven of Nine is not ticklish. She claims that to be the case thanks to her history with the Borg Collective.

I, as your trusty assistant, have my doubts regarding the truth of that statement, captain. I figured that as commanding officer of this ship, you deserved to be informed about such matters right away.”

The captain had a hard time keeping a straight face at that statement. At the same time, she had to admit to herself that this new piece of information thoroughly intrigued her.

'Seven isn't ticklish, hu? She hasn't met the master of the art of tickling yet.'

Janeway was reminded of countless tickle fights she'd had and won back in the day with her sister Phoebe.

Her competitive nature was awoken by the young girl's statement, telling her. “Thank you for informing me about this matter, miss Wildman. I am going to make it a priority to verify the nature of Seven of Nine's claim.

This now officially falls under the category captain's privilege.”

Naomi pouted adorably at this, whining out. “B-but I was the one who uncovered this piece of information, captain! Please allow me to assist you in proving Seven's claim wrong.”

That adorable pout along with those puppy eyes of Naomi's pulled at Janeway's heartstrings, but she stayed strong, telling her gently. “I will try my luck first and if I won't be successful you can try next, alright?”

Naomi's expression brightened at this, nodding her head. “That sounds fine to me, captain. Good luck! Seven is a tough opponent.”

Janeway smiled softly. “I'm aware of that. If there's nothing more, I'd like to go back to my duty for the time being.”

Naomi grinned. “That's all for now.”

The captain declared softly. “You're dismissed, miss Wildman.”

The young girl jumped up from her seat at this, walking over to the door, calling out. “Thanks for taking your time, captain. Enjoy your duty shift! I'll expect to be updated on your progress in this matter.”

Janeway smirked and replied. “Thank you for reporting this matter to me, miss Wildman. I will keep you updated. Study hard!”

Naomi saluted, calling out. “Aye, captain!”, before leaving.

The captain chuckled to herself. 'What an odd conversation. The day has barely started, but it already seems like it could turn out to be quite interesting. I should make sure to discretely get Seven to meet with me later.

Guess my plans of keeping a professional distance from her are hereby nullified. If I want to tickle her, there's no way to avoid physical contact. I can only hope she'll forgive me for this. The last thing I want is to cause her discomfort, or turn things awkward between us.'

Janeway knew that this could prove to be quite difficult, the young ex-drone being very sensitive to people touching her, much more so without the young woman's consent.

Then again, so far she'd never once complained when the older woman had initiated any form of physical contact which in all honesty, made Janeway feel quite privileged and grateful, the blonde seemingly trusting her more than any of her fellow crewmembers.

The redhead ultimately decided against replicating her usual coffee, black, and instead made her way to the mess hall, hopeful the ship's chef could provide her with a cup of 'the real deal' this morning.

Janeway was in a mood to celebrate, just what it was that she wanted to celebrate eluded her.

Seven was currently on her way to the mess hall, wanting to replicate one of her nutritional supplements before starting her duty shift in Astrometrics.

Her lack of efficiency this morning was deeply concerning, frustrating the young woman who despite being severed from the Collective strived for perfection, always wishing to execute even the simplest tasks to her best accord.

The young blonde was currently waiting for 'nutritional supplement 4 alpha' to materialize when her enhanced hearing picked up familiar footfall entering the mess hall.

Her vitals reached concerning levels, a curious sensation starting in the pit of her abdomen when she heard the captain's husky voice from over by the galley. “Good morning, Neelix. I was wondering if you've prepared real coffee this morning. I could use a cup of it on this fine day.”

Seven blinked, her skin tingling for reasons she could not comprehend, an unfamiliar emotion bubbling up inside her upon hearing the older woman's uncharacteristically 'chirpy' tone.

'What is this emotion? It is most unpleasant. I was not prepared to encounter the captain here out of all places. It is highly unusual for her to 'show up' here at this time of day.

Her mood seems to be particularly good this morning. I can not help but wonder why that is. The reason behind the captain's mood is irrelevant.

Why do I bother about those kinds of matters? Also, what was that 'fluttery' sensation in the pit of my abdomen, that 'tingle' on my skin? I shall conduct research on said sensations after my duty shift later.

For now, it is best to head back to my lab and ingest my nutritional supplement. Maybe the cause for my atypical behavior is that I require nutrition.'

The young woman was about to leave the mess hall but was stopped by that same voice from the captain which made her breath hitch and her heart rate elevate, two things that greatly bothered the stoic blonde. “Seven, just the person I was looking for.”

Seven stopped dead in her tracks, turning around slowly, inclining her head. “Captain Janeway. Do you require assistance?”

The redhead smiled gently and shook her head. “No, Seven. I was wondering if you'd be up for a match of Velocity on the holodeck after our duty shifts? Say, at 1700 hours?”

The flutter in the pit of the young woman's abdomen to her chagrin increased at this. Only thanks to her nanoprobes regulating her bodily functions did she not 'blush'.

Her voice, to her relief, sounded indifferent as always. “That would be acceptable, captain. I am 'looking forward' to our match.”

Janeway gently patted her arm, a gesture which left a prickling sensation in its wake, highly irritating the blonde, her tone warm. “Great! I'll see you at 1700 on holodeck 2.”

Seven merely nodded, having a hard time not to flee the mess hall and hide in her lab. Her heart was hammering painfully against her chest, breathing labored.

Not wanting to be disturbed or for anyone to see her in this vulnerable state, the young woman sealed the doors to her lab with one of her Borg encryption codes before walking over to her working station, leaning against the console, taking a first dainty sip of 'nutritional supplement 4 alpha'.

The bland taste of the liquid effectively helped to ground her and lifted the fog that had formed in her mind.

Once she had finished her breakfast, Seven unsealed the doors to the Astrometrics lab, commencing her duty shift, hoping that reviewing star charts and planning their route for the next few weeks would be able to distract herself from those confusing emotions and thoughts evoked by her captain.

The young woman's duty shift had ended far earlier than she'd expected.

She instantly scolded herself for such a most illogical thought, knowing full well that her duty shift today had been the same exact length as it had been the day before or any other day for that matter.

Seven instantly went back to Cargo Bay 2 where she quickly freshened up before changing into her Velocity gear. The blonde was convinced that she didn't stand a chance of winning against the captain in her distracted state.

Always the perfectionist, she was still determined to do her best and at least try.

'I will not go easy on her. The captain shall not grow upset, or alarmed noticing my lack of efficiency. I was able to successfully complete my duty shift earlier. Why would I not be able to play a match of Velocity with the captain then?'

Seven knew why. To her, in comparison to most of the crew, participating in recreational activities was far more strenuous than fulfilling her duty shifts and completing work-related tasks. If Seven loathed one thing, it was social activities.

The young woman would have usually not counted her matches of Velocity as a social activity per se, but given her most abnormal reaction towards the older woman earlier in the mess hall, she dreaded the encounter none the less.

She was not one to 'chicken out', however, and boldly went to holodeck 2, arriving there first as per usual which gave her some time to prepare herself for her captain's arrival.

The doors swished open far too soon, giving Seven no time for preparations of whatever kind.

Janeway walked in confidently, a disarming smile on her face that knocked the wind out of the younger woman. “Punctual as always, Seven. Are you ready?”

The blonde didn't feel ready in the slightest but didn't dare let that on, exclaiming. “Let the game commence, captain.”

Janeway gently patted her shoulder, the flutter in the pit of Seven's abdomen going wild. “Very well. Good luck, Seven. Computer, begin match.”

The captain, unbeknownst to her Astrometrics officer, had ulterior motives if you will. After her talk with her trusty assistant this morning, she was determined to 'tickle the Borg', so to speak.

Knowing that Seven tended to be highly concentrated when playing Velocity, paying more attention to the disc than to her, she hoped to be able to target not the disc but Seven and tackle her down.

'Gods, what are you thinking there? Tackle her down? That sounded very wrong just now. Those years of living in celibacy did you no good. When did you turn into such a pervert, Katie? She does look glorious in her Velocity gear, that much is true.'

Janeway inwardly chided herself for having such highly inappropriate thoughts. Seven on the other hand was confused.

When usually the captain always seemed to be one step ahead of her during their matches, today she missed all chances of winning, seemingly completely disregarding the disc and instead she was always hot on her heels, trying to initiate physical contact, a fact that in turn merely further distracted the already struggling blonde who called out.

“Computer, halt program.”

Janeway snapped out of her funk, blinking in confusion. “Seven, why did you halt the program? Our match wasn't finished yet. Or do you need a break?”

Seven sighed out and declared sternly. “I do not require a 'break', captain, however, it appears to me that perhaps you do. You seem unfocused today which is highly unusual for you.

There have been plenty of opportunities for you to win this game, but you did not seize them. Instead, you seemed more determined to initiate physical contact with me.

It appears to me that you are damaged and as that you shall pay the Doctor a visit in sickbay. I am concerned for your well-being, captain.”

The older woman felt her cheeks heat up involuntarily at her protégée's words, her heart soaring at the look of genuine concern in those big ice-blue eyes. “Seven, I'm sorry. I guess my duty shift was more exhausting than I thought it had been.

This morning playing a match of Velocity with you sounded like a perfect idea, but I guess I was still energized that time in comparison to now. How about this? We'll go to my quarters and I'll prepare dinner for us.”

Seven frowned, aware of her captain's reputation in terms of her cooking skills. On top of that, Seven had never tried solid food before.

The blonde bit her lip and offered. “May I offer to 'cook' instead, captain? No offense, but your reputation of being a 'bad cook' precedes you, and I do not wish for you to be forced to 'eat' liquified 'dinner'.

You require proper nutrition, captain. Allow me to prepare the 'food' tonight. If that is acceptable to you.”

Janeway had, in the end, agreed to Seven's suggestion, feeling utterly humiliated that even the young ex-Borg was aware of her terrible cooking skills.

'Well, at least she tried to spare my feelings. Wait... she paid attention to my feelings? That clearly was an act of compassion, just like the fact that she offered to cook for me in the first place.'

The captain's heart was swelling with pride. Seven truly had come so far in terms of humanity within the short amount of time she'd been on board Voyager. She truly was a remarkable young woman, Janeway mused to herself.

'And so gorgeous too. Gods, Katie. This has to stop. What's wrong with me? This is so unusual! I'm commanding officer of this ship and she's my subordinate.

Technically, she's not. Seven's not a Starfleet officer and no official crewmember of yours either. In a sense, she's a guest on your ship, an alien you've allowed to join you on your journey much like Neelix and also Kes back then.'

Kathryn snapped out of her musings by that pleasant alto. “Captain, 'dinner is served'.”

The redhead smiled fondly, asking the younger woman curiously. “What's for dinner, chef?”

Seven blinked before answering. “Your mother's 'Quiche Lorraine' is for 'dinner', captain. I hope that is acceptable. Never having eaten solid nutrition myself I chose the dish that sounded the most appealing.”

Janeway had a hard time not showing her glee. 'She's clearly followed her intuition on that one. Seven's truly growing up fast.'

She smiled softly, stating sincerely. “Great choice, Seven. Let's see if you're a better cook than me. Knowing you I have no doubt that you are an excellent cook.”

Seven carefully placed the plate with the indeed perfect-looking dish in front of her captain. “Enjoy your meal, captain.”

The two women sat together in silence for a while until Janeway casually stated. “By the way, Seven. My trusty assistant stopped by my ready room this morning, informing me that you are not ticklish. I could hardly believe that to be true.

Have you ever been tickled before, Seven?”

The younger woman swallowed, the by now familiar flutter started in the pit of her abdomen, alarming her.

'Naomi told her about this? It was foolish to share this kind of information with her, state that Borg are not 'ticklish'. I should have known that she would tell the captain of this.'

Against her better judgment, Seven stated, voice sounding far more confident than she felt. “It is true, captain. Borg are not 'ticklish'. I have not, in fact, been 'tickled' before, but I do not require to experience that phenomenon to know that this is the case.”

Janeway smirked, her competitive nature 'tickled', so to speak.

She inwardly rubbed her hands in glee and suggested. “How about that? We'll have a tickle fight.”

Seven blinked, remembering Naomi's words of the night before. “You wish for us to have a 'tickle fight', captain? Is it not something human infants typically perform with their parents? I am no infant and you are not my parent, as you are aware.”

The older woman chuckled at this. “Believe me, I'm very well aware of that, Seven. Yet, tickling isn't a thing that's solely reserved for infants and their parents. Adults can have tickle fights as well.

If you're afraid that you're gonna lose against me, however, that's fine. I'm holding a record of never once having lost a tickle fight in my life.”

Seven cocked her left brow in that typical fashion of hers at this, her own competitive side now awoken, never one to take down a good challenge if it was presented to her. “It is 'on', captain. I have a reputation to defend as well.

Do not think that I am going to go easy on you. May you explain to me the rules of a 'tickle fight', captain?”

The captain nodded and proceeded to explain. “The goal is to tickle your opponent which can mainly be achieved by tackling them down in some form or way. There are no rules per se, but once one of the opponents admits defeat, the other has won.

Seven, you told me earlier that you've never had a tickle fight before. Do you know how tickling another individual works?”

Seven nodded her head firmly. “Thank you for the explanation, captain. I believe that I understand the workings of this activity now. It sounds simple enough. I do know how to 'tickle' another individual, captain.

I have assimilated Sam Wildman performing the said action on her daughter last night while I was at their quarters with them. I believe they were having a 'tickle fight' as well.”

Janeway smiled at this, the mental image of Sam and Naomi Wildman having a tickle fight melted her heart, and once more she briefly found herself wondering how it would be like to be a mom.

The petite woman fended the thoughts away, stating. “If that's so, let the fight commence!”

The two women started chasing each other through the captain's quarters for what felt like hours, neither wanting to admit defeat or surrender to their opponent, both being very competitive and determined to win.

Janeway on top of that had a mission. Her mind was set on proving to the younger woman and the whole crew of Voyager that Seven of Nine was in fact ticklish.

When Seven entered her bedroom and approached her bed, Kathryn felt her chance had come, cornering the younger until she fell onto the bed. The captain gave off a surprised squeal as she was suddenly pulled on the bed as well.

She noticed too late the compromising position they were in, both women's hearts beating hard, minds turned to mush, their only objective to win this competition.

Seven wasn't moving one inch, too stunned was she by the older woman's beauty, the heat radiating off her body, the sound of her heartbeat that seemed to be in perfect sync with her own, the smell of her perspiration, combined with her own unique scent, a most distracting blend of her beloved coffee, honeysuckle and... something Seven had so far not been able to determine but that perfectly rounded up the mixture and would be dearly missed if not present.

The young woman's eyes turned wide when out of the blue the softest warmth engulfed her lips which started to tingle.

Her cheeks, in spite of herself, turned the softest hue of pink when she noticed that her captain's face was closer than ever before. It was then that she realized what the softness on her lips was.

Before she had time to register what was even going on, the moment was gone and Janeway had gotten up, voice cold, detached, all command, none of the previous friendly teasing present anymore. “I believe it's time for you to regenerate, Seven. It's really late. I apologize for taking up so much of your off-duty time, that wasn't the plan.”

Seven frowned, muttering. “I believe you have won, captain. You have 'tickled' me and I admit defeat...”

Janeway's eyes widened for a split second, but she quickly regained her composure. “Seven, please go now. You really have to regenerate and I should go sleep.”

Seven's heart was aching, confusion, and hurt at her captain's reaction sucking the life out of her.

The young woman stumbled out of the captain's quarters, barely making it to the turbolift, calling out dejectedly. “Deck 8, Cargo Bay 2.”

She barely made it to her alcove, a heavy sigh leaving her lips, mumbling. “What has just happened? One moment we were having 'fun' and the next she 'kicks me out' of her quarters.

She won the 'tickle fight'. Why is she still not satisfied? Why is she upset again? Humans are so complicated and this individual especially so.”

Seven had stood in her alcove for seemingly hours, but try as she might she could not regenerate tonight.

Highly irritated and frustrated she sealed off her cargo bay and did something she hadn't done ever since she'd first come on board. She lifted one of the heavy cargo containers up and threw it against the wall like it was nothing, a warcry following her actions.

Her actions didn't achieve the effect she'd hoped for which only further frustrated the young woman. Seven had half a nerve to go see the captain until she remembered that the woman was upset with her and doing so was not an option.

Knowing that she opted for the second-best option and went to sickbay, hoping the Doctor could administer a hypospray with a sedative to help her regenerate.

When she entered sickbay, the EMH was surprisingly still in his office.

He walked over right away once he caught sight of her, voice laced in his equivalent of concern. “Seven, why aren't you regenerating?”

The young woman sighed. “I tried to regenerate, Doctor, but my attempts turned out to be futile. It appears that I will not be able to do so without aid tonight. I had been hoping you could provide me with a hypospray with a sedative.”

The Doctor nodded slowly, brows furrowed in concern, running a tricorder over her. “Mhm, your vitals look concerning as well. Are you certain that you're undamaged, Seven?”

The young woman looked on sternly. “I am certain, Doctor. Earlier I had an unpleasant encounter which keeps my mind occupied.”

The EMH nodded in understanding. “Well, that makes sense. Have you talked to the captain about the said encounter?”

Seven had a hard time not rolling her eyes. “I have not. Can you please provide me with a sedative, Doctor? It is rather late and I still wish to complete at least a 4-hour cycle.”

The next day Seven noticed right away that something was off. Captain Janeway who usually came by for a visit in her lab was nowhere to be seen, hurting the young woman.

'She is avoiding my presence. I must have clearly done something wrong last night. If I only I knew what it was that upset her.'

Seven had half a nerve to go to the bridge and have a word with the older woman but ultimately decided against doing so.

The blonde snapped out of her daze by her comm badge chirping. She waited with bated breath, hoping to hear her captain's voice.

The young ex-Borg visibly deflated when instead of the person she'd hoped for, the gruff voice of Voyager's Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres greeted her. “Torres to Seven of Nine. Seven, can you come over to Main Engineering? I could use your assistance here.”

The young woman had a hard time not to sigh, answering plainly. “Seven here. I am on my way, Lieutenant.”

The two women worked tirelessly alongside each other.

B'Elanna couldn't help but ask after a while. “No comments on my lack of efficiency today? Everything alright, Ice Queen?”

Seven snapped out of her daze, her mind having been lightyears away.

Her voice sounded smaller than the older woman had ever heard it before and B'Elanna could swear she was able to detect pain in it, a fact that shocked the half-Klingon. “I am not certain if 'everything is alright', Lieutenant.

The captain seemingly does not think so. One moment we were 'playing' and having 'fun' and the next moment she acted hostile, 'kicked me out' of her quarters, avoiding my presence entirely.”

B'Elanna in spite of herself found herself blush, the innocent manner in which Seven had said such as she was convinced naughty things stunning her. “Ah, well... that's odd...”

The two continued their work in silence, Seven's mind once more lightyears away. The younger woman was beyond relieved once they were finished with their repairs.

Desperate for answers, she decided to pay the Wildman quarters a visit, hoping Samantha may be able to provide advice like so many times before, or simply a 'shoulder to cry on'.

Not that Seven had ever cried before, but she honestly wished she could perform this action, those most irritating, foreign emotions completely overwhelming her.

She inwardly crossed her fingers after ringing the chime of the Wildman quarters.

The reply soon came from inside. “Come on in!”

Seven entered the familiar quarters, Sam Wildman approached her, smiling at the younger woman. “Seven, what brings you here? Naomi is currently visiting Flodder.”

Seven told her in an uncharacteristically soft voice. “I was hoping I could speak to you about a private matter, Samantha.”

The older woman nodded, asking kindly. “Will it be alright with you if we take a seat on the couch?”

Seven inclined her head. “That would be acceptable.”

Sam was stunned to receive that kind of reply from the younger woman, who as she knew, preferred to stand. This told the older woman that something was terribly off.

She asked gently. “Seven, what's the matter?”

The taller woman swallowed and recounted the events of the previous night. “Yesterday the captain invited me for a match of Velocity. I was looking forward to it at first, but I found myself unable to remain focused.

The same surprisingly went for the captain who seemed more focused on my person than the Velocity disk which is highly unusual for her. We then ended our match prematurely, I was convinced that playing in our states was futile.

In all honesty, I had reason to fear she might damage herself if she would resume playing in this unfocused state.

She then invited me to her quarters for 'dinner' which I cooked, afraid she might get 'food poisoning' if she was to cook herself, aware of her reputation in terms of cooking. I prepared a 'Quiche Lorraine' for her which she seemed to enjoy.

After 'dinner' she informed me that Naomi had 'spilled' to her that I am not 'ticklish' and she suggested us having a 'tickle fight', wishing to prove me wrong.

Thanks to our competitive natures the said fight took 54.3 minutes but we eventually landed on her 'bed' where she 'tackled me down' and won the fight by 'tickling' my lips with hers...”

Samantha Wildman gaped, eyes widened comically. “S-Seven, you mean the captain kissed you?”

Seven blinked, rolling the word around on her tongue. “Kissed... Is that a bad thing? I have honestly never heard of that term before. Could you explain it to me, please?”

The older woman felt her heart melt, smiling gently. “It's not a bad thing at all, Seven. If both parties involved are okay with it that is. A kiss is a means of showing your affection and adoration towards another individual.

It's usually shared between people who have a close bond and trust each other, like family, friends, and lovers. What happened after the kiss, Seven?”

Seven's cheeks had turned the softest pink, the flutter in the pit of her abdomen back full force at what Samantha had told her just now. 'The captain 'adores' me?'

The Collective knowledge stated that adoration was a very high form of 'love', involving very strong feelings of affection for another individual. This excited Seven for reasons she could not comprehend.

She answered Samantha, tone dejected. “The captain 'kicked me out' of her quarters. She told me that it was time for me to regenerate, although I did not wish to regenerate at that hour. We have not talked ever since then.

It appears to me that she has purposefully been avoiding my presence today. I do not understand what I have done wrong. I enjoyed our 'kiss' actually...”

Sam told her friend gently. “I can't be one-hundred percent sure about the captain's motives of course, but in my opinion, you should try to talk to her, Seven. Pay her a visit in her quarters and tell her how you feel, ask her for her reasons.

My intuition tells me that Janeway didn't mean to hurt your feelings. You mean a lot to her, Seven, that much is for sure. Maybe she was shocked because of the kiss, afraid of your reaction to it, so she deemed it best to avoid you, afraid of rejection.”

Seven, following her friend's advice, had taken the turbolift up to deck 3 and was currently standing in front of the captain's quarters. She sincerely hoped, her friend's assumptions were correct and that the older woman would at least allow her entry to her quarters.

The young woman against her true nature felt sick to the stomach with what she determined to be 'anxiety', a familiar, yet highly unpleasant emotion. 'Why am I anxious? This is illogical!'

Seven finally rang the chime, waiting for a response.

The response sounded weak and just about as dejected as Seven felt. “Who is there?”

Seven swallowed against the painful knot in her throat, answering. “Seven of Nine. Captain, I wish to speak to you. May I get permission to enter?”

It was silent for a moment during which the young woman feared rejection before the captain finally replied. “Permission granted. Come in, Seven.”

The young woman stepped over the threshold, hands clasped behind her back, fiddling in nervosity. Janeway immediately felt even more guilty when she saw the young woman who looked to be a shadow of herself, eyes filled with pain.

'Oh, Gods. What have you done, Katie? I'm surprised she wanted to see me after what happened last night, talk to me even...'

She stumbled out. “Seven, I'm sorry-”

The young woman asked, voice small. “Captain, do you... 'adore' me?”

The redhead's cheeks flared up, eyes wide. Seven noticed that the older woman's vital functions had reached concerning levels.

Panicked, the stoic blonde asked. “Captain, are you damaged? Your heart rate is elevated, your perspiration has increased...”

Janeway held up a hand, smiling softly. “I'm not damaged, Seven. Although, I do admit that I haven't been myself lately, especially when you're near me.

To answer your earlier question, yes, I do very much adore you. That's why I ended up kissing you like a fool last night, despite knowing fully well that you weren't ready for that yet, and that you most likely don't return my feelings...”

The redhead's eyes turned wide when out of the blue a familiar pair of soft, plump lips was pressed against hers.

The contact merely lasted a few seconds but was enough to knock the wind out of the smitten captain's lungs, her cheeks flushed she stared at her protégée in wonder. “What was that for?”

Her heart leaped when the most beautiful smile formed on the younger woman's face, her voice impossibly soft. “I very much 'adore' you as well, captain.”

The smaller woman breathed, only thanks to her enhanced hearing was Seven able to hear it. “Please call me Kathryn, darling.”

Seven licked her lips, ocular implant raised. “I will comply, Kathryn.”


End file.
